Looking back on this as an adult, I now have a sneaky suspicion that he was.
Juanita Merrick, the transgender elephant queen.
by Anonymous | reply 1 | February 28, 2021 5:16 PM |
Short answer -yes. Longer answer - it’s a cultural reference to a trope that has been lost over time.
See - Comedian Joe Besser; and the stock character of The Nance in early 20th century comedy - Burlesque / Radio / Film.
by Anonymous | reply 2 | February 28, 2021 5:54 PM |
Companion article to review of The Nance play discusses the history of the stock character.
by Anonymous | reply 3 | February 28, 2021 6:07 PM |
The Goofy Gophers I think were definitely gay, and polite. My favorite line in one of the cartoons is when one gopher throws some wood shavings on his head and does a little drag act, the other gopher slaps him and says "There's a time and place for everything."
by Anonymous | reply 4 | February 28, 2021 6:35 PM |
You can spot that elephant’s gayness from space! Tooty fruity!
by Anonymous | reply 5 | February 28, 2021 6:48 PM |
Have you ever seen an elephant’s penis before? If you were an elephant, you’d be gay too.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | February 28, 2021 7:01 PM |
Gayer than Juan Gabriel doing the coochie coochie.
by Anonymous | reply 7 | February 28, 2021 7:24 PM |
I've always had suspicions about Chip and Dale, Pixie and Dixie, and most of all Yogi and Boo Boo, who shared the same bed.
by Anonymous | reply 8 | February 28, 2021 7:42 PM |
The elephant voice is Mel Blanc as he would do Daffy Duck.
by Anonymous | reply 9 | February 28, 2021 7:48 PM |
R2, great citation. That website is a goldmine of show biz history.
by Anonymous | reply 10 | February 28, 2021 7:51 PM |
Unclear from r2’s article what the connection is between the “I’ll give you such a pinch” meme and Joe Besser. Was it a catch phrase of his?
by Anonymous | reply 11 | February 28, 2021 8:04 PM |
It was, but it was also his voice. When Besser played the little sissy that was something he'd say. (Looked for a YouTube citation but haven't found one yet.). This link embodies it. Go to 17:29.
by Anonymous | reply 12 | February 28, 2021 8:49 PM |
So much of Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies, Bugs Bunny, and all rest of Warner Bros cartoons were heavily influenced by vaudeville. Various skits, gags like Bugs in drag, etc.. and more were directly out of that genre. Of course many comedy actors in Warner Bros studio system lot got their start in Vaudeville, so there's another connection.
What might seen corny today was funny and fresh right through post war years.
Recognize these two kitties?
by Anonymous | reply 13 | March 1, 2021 10:37 AM |